A Decade of H2OPE

I am completely mortified that my last post was in November.  So many things have happened since then.  We had an impromtu Yeager Thanksgiving at our house.  Spy turned 3.  Christmas came and went. 2012 started off with a downer as D got laid off from his job.  But then we were blessed with the news of a new little bundle of joy to arrive in Sept.  Recently D got a FANTASTIC new job.  All of this proves that life moves on regardless of what the world throws our way.

So I am caught of guard when I realize that today, World Water Day, is the launching of the African Well Fund's 10th Build a Well for Bono's Birthday Fundraiser.  10 years?  Really?  Where did the time go?  I am so pleased that 10 years later...this 100% volunteer non-profit, this "Little Engine That Could" is still going strong with it's work of bringing clean water and better sanitation to people all over Africa. 

So today when you go to fill up your water bottle at the water cooler stop for one second to think about how lucky you are to have access to this water.  I beg you to take a moment today, on World Water Day, to click on the link above.  This year proceeds from this fundraiser will benefit a water, sanitation and hygiene project in Burkina Faso that will be implemented by African Well Fund partner Africare which aims to create a healthy environment for 257 schoolchildren.  Even the smallest donation will help to make a difference in these children's lives. I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart.

Destinazione Paradiso

In February, my family and I traveled to the Dominican Republic for a week.  We stayed at the Coconut Palms Resort in Cabarete which is on the North Shore of the DR.  It was a fantastic week...my parents got to spend some quality time with their grandson and Dan and I got to relax and drink frozen drinks and soak up some sun.  The resort is no frills but family friendly and the apartments were large and clean.  The best part about the whole trip was how nice everyone was.  By the end of our stay Simon had quite a fan club.

 The view of the beach from the balcony of our room.

The pool at the resort.

With Dan in Puerto Plata at the San Felipe Fort

Simon demanding his Happy Hour pineapple slices.

The view at the beach.

The real way to drink a Pina Colada.

Simon buckles up for the ride home.

Until next year Cabarete...we will miss you!

2009 Meme

I swiped this from the fabulous Michelle at Bleeding Espresso. I did not do this in 2008 (for obvious reasons) so I am happy to revisit this meme and reflect on what has been an exciting and eventful year. To see what I did in 2007 click here.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Participate in the Kids Lit Klub at Cabrini where I worked with 3 amazing women to create a reading camp from start to finish. Work in an elementary school as a reading specialist. Be a mom.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I think the only "resolution" I made was to be the best mom possible to my son - hopefully I have done this but you never know.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? So many babies so little time...the short list of new babies...Mackenzie, Isabella, Booker, Jack, Olivia (beautiful niece #1), Naomi (beautiful niece #2), Taylor (beautiful niece #3), Ethan (beautiful nephew)...I am sure there are more but who can keep track!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not this year, but my friend Dave passed away in Sept of 2008 after a 9 m0nth battle with Melanoma. I think of him and his family often.

5. What countries did you visit? Italy

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? My teaching certification and a job!

7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Jan 4 - my friend Suzie went into labor while watching the Eagles game at her parents house. April 17 - had to take Simon to the Emergency Room in the middle of the night because he fell out of his carseat. he had to have a cat scan and it was awful. May 15 - my niece Olivia was born. Oct 12 - my first day student teaching!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Passing all my Praxis tests on the first try!

9. What was your biggest failure? I wish I had been able to breast feed Simon longer - but 5 months is great.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Not that I can recall. Had surgery on my gums which was heinous but I am lucky to have been healthy. Still have high blood pressure, despite my weight loss.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Well my mom bought it for me but my Snuggie. There, I said it.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My beautiful son who has learned to walk at 12 months!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? JD our cat...bad bad bad kitty likes to poop and pee in our basement but not in his litter box which is in the basement.

14. Where did most of your money go? Our mortgage, our bills, the last of my grad school classes. Oh yeah, and formula, diapers, etc.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Taking Simon to Italy to meet Nonna Linda!

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? I Gotta Feelin by the Black Eyed Peas....Simon loves this song and dances to it all the time.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer? Happier (getting more sleep!), thinner (like by 65lbs!), the same...still need to find a job.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? At the beginning of the year...sleep!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Second guessing my parenting skills.

20. How did you spend Christmas? Dad, Uncle, Dan, Simon and I had dinner at our house. Mom was in Italy and we missed her.

21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Yes, with Stacy's Simply Naked Pita Chips...I am eating some right now!

22. What was your favorite TV program? Glee!!! Makes me so happy!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I try not to be a hater.

24. What was the best book you read? The Things They Carried by Tom O'Brien. Not my usual cup of tea but a really moving book.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Laurie Berkner Band - Simon loves her and so do I!

27. What did you want and not get? A paying job.

28. What was your favorite film of this year? Duh, New Moon :)

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 36 and I was in class that night so I didn't do anything. Dan took me to dinner later that week. (this was the same thing as 2007...weird)

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting paid for my student teaching - but I love it so I cannot complain.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? It fits? I'll wear it!

32. What kept you sane? My son's smile and giggles.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? My favorite vampire - Robert Pattinson

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Clean water is a basic human right.

35. Who did you miss? All my DC ladies...I still miss you greatly!

36. Who was the best new person you met? Karen, my cooperating teacher

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. No matter how bleak life seems, there is always someone who is worse off than you - so get over it!

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. Still the same as 2007. "In dreams begin responsibilities" - U2, Acrobat My dream was to have a family of my own...and with that came all my responsibilities.

How did you all fair in 2009? Post a comment if you decided to do a year end review so I can read it as well.

I have high hopes for 2010 so bring it on peeps!

11 months young

Oh where o where has the time gone? My little man was 11 months old on Sunday. In a few short weeks we will be celebrating his 1st birthday...unbelievable. I love you peeper!

Lil' Pumpkin - 10 months

Spy was 10 months old this week. Here we are at Linvilla Orchards with cousins Sofia and Olivia, Zia Lisa, Nonna Maria and Nonno Mario and our good friend Leandro. Simon was wary at first and then really had fun feeling all the pumpkin stems...what can I say...he is very tactile!

I cannot believe that in a few short months we will be celebrating his first birthday! Crazy!!! He is a super fast crawler and loves to pull himself up and then let go...soon he will be walking and then all the fun will begin. He has 3 teeth and 3 more breaking through...so it has been a rough past couple of nights but we love him to pieces anyway!

With Nonno/a

The awesome Halloween display.

Very tactile my son.

Sofia has fun on the playground.

A lil' bit o' this n a lil' bit o' that

Since I have lost my ability to focus on any one thing for more than a period of 5 minutes, I have decided to post a bunch of blurbs about what is going on with me. You know for the 2 of you who still tune in to read this blog.

Whet to Fogo de Chao Sunday night and had a very un-Weight Watchers friendly dinner. Seriously, it was a crazy meat-a-licious meal. If you like meat I highly recommend the experience.

Speaking of Weight Watchers, I joined when I got back from Italy and have lost 11.2lbs in 6 weeks. I feel pretty awesome, better than I have in months. Now if only I can convince Spy to sleep through the night and I would feel 100%.

I took the Praxis II on Sept. 12. I need to pass it in order to student teach. I find out the results on Oct. 9 and I am supposed to start student teaching on Oct. 12. Talk about cutting it close and waiting until the last minute. Yeah, that is how I roll. If I fail...well I have to take it again in Nov and I student teach in Jan. Sigh.

Simon is crawling now, Lord help us all. He also has 3 teeth with at least 2 more on the way. He is still not sleeping through the night and hence I am not sleeping through the night either. If I do end up student teaching there are going to have to be some changes in our household with regards to who gets up to get Simon in the middle of the night. Yes, I am talking to you, D.

I need a mani/pedi in the worst way. My feet look like hooves. As usual, I have no time for this.

I am crazily looking forward to the next movie in the Twilight Saga: New Moon. Yes, I know it is a movie for teenagers. No, I do not care. The trailer made me squeal like a school girl at a Hot Topic meet and greet which by the way I have never been too in case you were wondering.

Finally, today is our 2 year anniversary. I cannot believe 2 years have gone by so quickly.

Happy Anniversary Baby!

A few days late but...

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom and Dad!!!

May you enjoy 40 more years of memories and happiness!

4 generations

This last trip to Italy was memorable in so many ways. However, I think I can say that seeing my Nonna Linda enjoy her great-grandchildren was probably the best part of my vacation. Here we are: my brother, my sister-in-law, my two beautiful nieces, my mom, me, my husband and my son all surrounding my Nonna. 4 generations of D'Angelo/DiFilippo/Palumbi blood...I can only hope that we can continue this tradition for many years to come!

Our newest addition

A great super huge welcome to Olivia Maria Palumbi! My sweet niece arrived in the morning on Friday May 15 weighing in at 7lbs 3oz. Big sister Sofia, Mommy and Daddy are all excited for her arrival. Zia Paola is excited to spoil another little princess. Congratulation to everyone!

5 months

OK so I am late with this picture...and it was taken this weekend so it is more like 5 months and 1 week but frankly with as sleep deprived as I am I am thankful I am even posting right now!

All dressed up for a cocktail party we went to this weekend. He is getting so big and is blossoming into a beautiful little boy. He rolled over today (twice) and his talking up a storm, reaching for objects in mommy's hand and is definitely experiencing stranger anxiety - oh joy!

Today was my first Mother's Day and it was great. Simon & Daddy let me sleep in until 11 am and Simon is getting my car detailed as one of my gifts. As crazy as it sounds I am so excited for this as my car is a pit and it makes me anxious to drive it as dirty as it is right now. My how my priorities have changed! He also got me a coupon for a mani/pedi, lunch and a movie with my SIL for sometime in the future. She is due with bambino #2 on Friday so I am sure that at some point this summer - when we all return from Italia - Lisa and I will cash in our coupons for some pampering, good food and a movie...when does New Moon come out again? Just kidding!

I hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic Mother's Day!!!

We are family....

....I got all my sisters with me.

I poached this from my SIL's Facebook page. Me and most of my sister-in-laws after seeing Mamma Mia in Philly this summer.

All of Dan's sisters are in this pic as well as some of the SIL's. There are a few missing - at least three if not more but it is so hard to keep track!!!

We had a blast at the show and it was great to get together - as you can imagine with a large number like this it is hard to get everyone together in one place.

Yay for family!!

Cute babies

that aren't Sofia! You may not know this but I actually have other nieces and nephews in my life. My husband is one of 16 children and at last count there are at 20+ nieces and newphews on the Yeager side of the family ranging from 15 years to 1 week old.

So in an effort to make this blog more even to both sides of my family...meet Ava and Greyson. Aren't they cute?

They are so sweet. Greyson will be dedicated at the end of the month so we get to see him and his sister along with the rest of the family.

I must also welcome the newest member of the Yeager Clan, Damien Alexander, born on Tues Jan 29 at 8lbs 10 oz.

Welcome Damien! Your uncle and I cannot wait to meet you!